In keeping with our mission to promote Sable Island through education, the Friends of Sable Island Society was pleased to again offer a $1,000 scholarship to a Nova Scotia student.

2017 Scholarship Award

Congratulations to Thomas King of Shelburne Regional High School for his vintage national parks poster, a beautiful, rustic design that endeavors to inspire its readers to explore the Island, and to learn more about the astounding preservation efforts that have allowed it to become what it is today. The poster and reflective statement are below.

We would also like to give honourable mention to Emma McManus for her excellent submission. You made the Selection Committee’s job a difficult one. Their submissions are below.

Thank you to everyone who made a submission. We hope you learned something new and amazing about Sable Island in the process.

Thomas King – Sable Island National Park Reserve (unofficial poster)

Reflective Statement

Sable Island, for me, is an embodiment of my greatest dreams. It represents every aspect of my being, resonates with the visions I hope to pursue in the future, and symbolizes the ideas I wish to pass on to the next generation. I feel as though the most prominent reason Sable Island National Park exists today is because of this resonation in the souls of a passionate, world-wide community of nature-lovers, adventurers, Nova Scotian, environmentalists, conservationists and the curious alike—and all of these things are who I am and wish to be.

Externally, I applied to this Scholarship because I also believe in the importance of spreading awareness about this Atlantic icon. I plan to attend McGill University next fall, and receive an education which will form the foundation of a life I want to spend in environmental activism. Working with National Parks such as Sable Island has always been a dream of mine; and I will have tremendous difficulty in attaining this ambition if I do not seek after all the financial aid possible. Myself and my four older siblings will all be attending university this coming school year; and my parents cannot provide any monetary support. The opportunity the Scholarship provides will greatly assist in mitigating this.

I hope for the Sable Island Scholarship to be a significant stepping stone in the path I am following. I know that it will play, even if minute, a role in helping me attain my ultimate purpose to embody the values that the Park was founded upon.

Emma McManus – “Sable Island, Alive and Thriving

The waves are her heartbeat

And the slopes of the dunes are the curves of her supple body

The marram grass is her windswept hair and the sand is her soft white skin

The island, alive and thriving

The wild horses, unbridled and unbroken, are her hands, strong and rugged,

Reaching out and touching the hearts of people around the world

Pulling them in and making them yearn for more mysteries of the Atlantic

The island, alive and thriving

The grey seals- her heart,

With the largest congregation in the land, living alongside the Harbour seals

She is their home, they perch on her smooth shores, safe with her as their haven

The island, alive and thriving

The striking roseate terns are her voice

Their shrill chirp echoes among the sandy stretch

They seek refuge with her, soaring along her beaches, their ivory tail feathers floating in the wind

The island, alive and thriving

The storms are her temper, able to cause devastation at will

Ending the voyage of many ships

Her mood can be a pleasant and beautiful summer day, or a violent gust of rage

The island, alive and thriving

The winds are her soul, and the breeze carries tales of long ago

Secrets and memories from another time, magic and myth from the past

Preserved by gentle hands and caring souls

We must protect her- every part of her

Our island, alive and thriving

Reflective Statement

Sable Island has been a subject of interest for me for as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl, I literally begged my parents to let me move Sable Island to live with the horses. Now that I’m older, I have come to cherish how protected Sable is from human interference. The wild horses are the reason many Nova Scotians have become enthralled by the mysterious island, but it’s amazing how once you have been drawn in, you realize the entire island is a composition of uniquity, from the sand, to the water, to the flora and fauna. An astounding ecosystem lives on the island, one that is self- sustaining and natural, to the best possible extent. It’s refreshing in such a developed, fast paced world, to see a place living so wild and free. It’s truly untamed by anyone. I featured these thoughts in my poem, “Sable Island, Alive and Thriving.” I feel very strongly that we need to continue to conserve such a treasure of our province, the same way we have been for 150 years. Sable is in our blood as Nova Scotians, and it’s our duty to preserve it.

I have applied for this generous scholarship because I will be attending Acadia University in the fall, pursuing my dream of studying psychology. I hope to make a difference in the world, the same way those at Friends of Sable Island have been making a difference in the preservation of the beautiful island.